How to transplant Benjamin's ficus: a detailed process for transplanting a ficus
Ficus transplantation improves the vital activity and productivity of the plant. Young plants need to be replanted annually, after reaching the age of four - once every 2 years. The main signs of the need for a transplant:
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- the earth dries up quickly;
- the leaves turn yellow and the trunk is bare;
- the roots do not fit in the pot, stick out on the surface and emerge from the drainage hole.
You can transplant a flower from a transport pot in 2-3 weeks, so it adapts better to the environment
One of the reasons for the need to transplant Benjamin's ficus is leaf fall
Original ficus arrangement in a spacious hall
How to transplant Benjamin ficus after purchase? In order for the plant to quickly and less painfully adapt to new conditions, the transplant is carried out exclusively in the spring-summer season. In this case, a new container for a plant is selected in diameter 3-4 cm wider than the previous one. It is not worth taking too wide a pot right away - and the ficus looks unaesthetic, and after transplanting it will grow more slowly: the wider the pot, the slower the roots grow. The root system should fit freely in the new container. For young plants, light soil is better - a mixture of equal shares of turf and leafy soil, to which one part of sand must be added.
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A beautiful bright small pot will help keep the ficus of the required height
Ficus Benjamin is very popular as a houseplant, also grown in the bonsai style
Ficus is transplanted no earlier than two weeks from the date of purchase to give the plant time to adapt
Consider the sequence of Benjamin ficus transplant:
- before transplanting, the plant must be well watered - so it will be easier to remove it from the old pot;
- carefully remove the top layer of soil;
- put a drainage layer in a new pot and sprinkle it with earth;
When transplanting ficus, the roots are completely cleared of transport soil
The pot is taken according to the size of the root system - this makes it easier to adjust watering
The soil must necessarily contain sand, and you can also add a little crushed charcoal
- remove the plant, gently shake off the soil from the roots and transfer it to a new pot;
- evenly add fresh soil on all sides, while observing the planting level - it should remain the same.
When and how to transplant into another pot
It is best to do a Benjamin ficus transplant at home in March or April. Young specimens need a transplant every year, and adults - once every three to four years. In between, remove the top layer of the substrate from the pot and replace it with fresh.
Transplant your ficus as follows. Remove the flower from the old pot with a lump of soil and transfer it to the center of the new pot, where a layer of drainage and a layer of new substrate have already been laid. Cover the voids between the plant and the sides of the pot with earth, shaking the pot lightly. If the room is hot, lightly water the transplanted ficus and spray its crown with a fine spray bottle. If the room is cool, then it is better not to water the transplanted plant for a couple of days.
Young ficus benjamin bushes should be checked frequently for rapid root growth. To do this, turn the pot over and look at its bottom. The roots may already be peeking out of the drainage holes. If so, rejoice, you've got a fast growing specimen. Without waiting for next spring, you will have to transplant it into a new, slightly larger pot.
What kind of pot is needed
Choose a clay or ceramic pot for Benjamin's ficus. The new pot should not be too bulky, only slightly larger than the old one. Then the root system of the flower will quickly cope with the development of the entire volume of the new soil, and the flower will more easily take root in a new place.
Let's immediately pay attention to the size of the pot for creating a bonsai from ficus - it should be wide and shallow
Suitable soil
The natural habitat of Benjamin's ficus is the humid tropics with their characteristic moisture-absorbing nutrient soil. For indoor cultivation, you need to buy or prepare the substrate yourself, similar to its natural composition. For Benjamin's ficus, purchased land for ornamental deciduous plants is suitable. You can use the soil for Mulberry plants or for Palm trees. Note that ficuses are not very picky about the composition of the soil.
It is only important that it is nutritious, breathable and has neutral acidity. Self-prepared soil should be like this: a mixture of peat, garden soil and sand in equal proportions
You can add a little wood ash to eliminate acidity in the soil. Adult specimens require a denser substrate, so turf and humus should be added to this soil composition.
Pests
Among the pests that can cause damage, the most dangerous are scabbards, aphids and spider mites.
Scabbard on ficus
Scabbards more often than others attack ficus. You will find them by brown or black plaques, in which insects hide under a protective waxy shell.
Spider mite
Ticks can also attack ficus. You will not miss even the appearance of a small number of ticks. You will definitely see if small reddish or brown dots crawl over the leaves and branches of the ficus. If a cobweb appeared on the ficus, it means that you missed the initial stage of this attack, and the ficus needs to be treated urgently.
Mealybugs appear as whitish-fluffy lumps on the branches at the base of the leaves and on the roots
You will find aphids in the form of green or dark small insects on the underside of young leaves.
If you find any parasites, take the flower to the bathroom first and rinse the insects off the leaves with a shower with lukewarm water. Cover the soil before this with polyethylene so that it does not wash out. Dry the flower for half an hour there, in the bathroom, and then treat it with a suitable insecticide. To buy the right drug, first take a picture of your pests on your phone so that the seller in the store will tell you the most effective means of dealing with them.
And further. If the instructions suggest several treatments, do not neglect this. Nobody succeeds in removing the population of many insects from one go.
Lighting and location
Ficus Benjamin is a light-loving plant. However, we note that varieties with monochromatic dark leaves are best placed in partial shade, with light ones in diffused light. But variegated varieties, in which the leaves contain few green cells containing chlorophyll, will not be able to fully synthesize sugar without bright sunlight. Their illumination should be above average.
The best place to live for a flower will be a wide window sill on the southeast-facing window, or a place on the bedside table near the south window. The north side is only suitable for varieties of ficus with solid green leaves, and even then in the summer. Additional lighting will be required at other times of the year. There is a lot of bright sunlight on the southern windows, but at noon the hot sun will burn the leaves of the flower.
Direct sunlight is necessary for ficus in the morning, before 11, and in the evening, after 17. But only adult specimens can withstand the midday sun, and even then not all of their species. It is better if a light curtain hangs on the window at this time.Young plants should be accustomed to the sun's rays gradually. In autumn and winter, all types of ficuses should be placed closer to the sun. On short light days, any ficus needs additional lighting, otherwise its leaves will begin to crumble, and in variegated varieties, they will also lose their bright color.
Green species tolerate partial shade more easily, but they also cannot stay without sunlight for a long time - their growth will slow down, the crown will become one-sided with elongated faded branches. If the pot is located far from the window, somewhere in the corner of the room, it simply needs an additional artificial source of illumination, for example, a fluorescent lamp, which should be attached somewhere on top at a distance of no closer than 70 cm from the crown.
It is still advisable to move Benjamin's ficus twice a year: in the summer to the open air, and with the onset of cold weather - back to the house.
Try to find such a place on a balcony, loggia or terrace so that the conditions of its illumination and air temperature do not change much. An ideal place of residence for the summer would be the outer wall of the window, near which the pot stood in the apartment in the spring. We do not recommend placing a flower on the south side - it is too hot there.
Description of Ficus Benjamin
Ficus Benjamin can be an evergreen bush or tree with small aerial roots. Its size directly depends on the specific variety and growing conditions. In its natural environment, the plant can turn into a real giant, sometimes reaching up to 30 m in height. At home, such ficuses are able to maintain a miniature shape up to 50 cm or grow up to 3 meters. In general, its growth rate is considered small, but fresh shoots are formed quickly enough. For a year, the bush can grow by about 20 cm.
The foliage of such a ficus is quite thin. It has an oval shape with a pointed end. The color of the leaves can be quite varied. There are varieties with completely green foliage or with various spots, stripes or specks of lighter shades. You will not be able to admire the flowering of ficus Benjamin in indoor conditions. Such a plant is capable of blooming only in greenhouses. During this period, spherical syconia flowers are formed on it, resembling reddish berries.
In home floriculture, this type of ficus is appreciated for its unpretentiousness and decorative foliage. If such a plant is purchased in a store, you need to evaluate the flexibility of its branches and the number of yellowed leaves. The fewer there are, the more likely you are to choose a healthy plant. After the purchase, you must definitely give the flower time to adapt. Usually this period is about 3 weeks. During this time, the bush may begin to lose foliage, responding to a change in scenery. When the plant gets used to the new conditions, it needs to be transplanted from a purchased pot into a permanent one - the plant will not be able to fully develop in store soil and in a small container. For planting, an appropriate soil mixture is used. But even after this, the ficus can continue to lose foliage for some time.
Ficus Benjamin in indoor conditions. Care, watering, overview
How often to transplant Benjamin's ficus
In the first years of life, the plant grows roots and crown especially actively. Benjamin's ficus is no exception, especially since in nature it can grow into a huge tree. For this reason, a plant younger than four years old needs replanting every year: it becomes cramped in the old pot, and the soil has time to be depleted during this time. When the plant is already old enough and its growth begins to slow down, you can replant it not so often, but with an interval of 2-3 years. A completely adult ficus is transplanted even less often.
Experienced flower growers advise not to disturb adult ficuses with a transplant, so as not to injure the root system.As a rule, a plant aged six years and older is already in a rather large container - a tub or a pot, so you can limit yourself to a careful replacement of the top layer of soil.
Preparation for transplanting ficus Benjamin
How well the ficus adapts and will develop in the future largely depends on the correctly selected soil composition. Ficus Benjamin is a capricious and sensitive plant, it needs a soil with an acidity index in the range of 5.5-6.5 pH, otherwise it will be difficult to feed the plant, which will affect its appearance.
Note! For flower growers who do not have sufficient experience in preparing soil mixtures, it is recommended to purchase a ready-made substrate. If you are going to transplant ficus, be sure to water it on the eve of the procedure.
Then the next day the plant can be easily removed from the pot along with a lump of a little moist earth without damaging the roots. In addition, it is better to loosen the topsoil to increase the aeration of the roots and make them more pliable.
If you are going to transplant ficus, be sure to water it on the eve of the procedure. Then the next day the plant can be easily removed from the pot along with a lump of a little moist earth without damaging the roots. It is also best to loosen the topsoil to increase the aeration of the roots and make them more pliable.
Crown formation, ficus pruning
Ficus Benjamin can easily be given a varied look with pruning. The most common types of crown formation for the Benjamin ficus are:
- Spherical crown shape;
- Bushy;
- In the form of a single or multi-tiered trunk;
- Bonsai style;
- In the form of various sculptures.
It is more expedient to prune ficus in spring or early summer, during a period of accelerated growth. The formation of the crown of a plant is also affected by its age. So, the younger the ficus, the easier and faster its crown is formed and the more successful the plant is pruning and adopting a new species.
Pruning of Benjamin ficus is most often carried out when the plant has grown too large or has acquired an insufficiently attractive appearance due to an overgrown crown.
When pruning Benjamin's ficus, it is important to adhere to some rules:
- Preserve the natural look of the plant;
- Do not rush to cut off the extra, in your opinion, twigs, trying to mentally imagine the plant without them;
- Trim with a sterile instrument;
- Do not damage the bark;
- Do not curl or break off the leaves;
- Cut at an angle to the top edge.
An attractive appearance to Benjamin's ficus can be given not only through the formation of the crown, but also through the interlacing of the trunks. To do this, several young ficuses with approximately the same thickness and height of the trunks are transplanted into one pot.
Semi-lignified ficus trunks are flexible and easy to weave. In places of plexus, side shoots and leaves are removed. The spiral or pigtail is made free to further thicken the trunks. In most cases, the plexus of the trunks begins when the lower part of the plants (the supposed beginning of the plexus) reaches 13 cm.
As they grow, they make the next round. To prevent the braid or spiral from unraveling, the trunks are loosely tied with woolen thread or electrical tape.
How to water
Ficus Benjamin does not tolerate drying out of the soil. In the summer he drinks much more, the soil dries up quickly - he will have to water every 3-4 days. If the soil is already dry 2–3 cm deep, water it. If the soil in the pot has not dried out, for example, due to cloudy days or a drop in ambient temperature, then you should not water the ficus - let the top layer dry out.
In winter, it is enough to water Benjamin's ficus once a week or a little less often. But, you should not forget about watering your pet for a long time. He will shed his foliage.
Use water for irrigation soft, settled or boiled, not higher than room temperature. Waterlogging of the root system is not permissible. Excess moisture can provoke leaf fall. Therefore, it will be better if your pallet is not deep. And you will remove excess water from the pan on time.
In new territory
So, you purchased Benjamin's ficus and happily installed it in a pre-selected location. You have, of course, familiarized yourself with the desirable conditions of its containment.
Most likely, the store pot is not durable and does not meet the aesthetic requirements. You may want to replace the plastic pot with one of your choice. Take your time, because the ficus must go through an adaptation period of at least a month. Otherwise, he will drop the foliage in protest.
Note: Benjamin's ficus is a very conservative plant and does not like change. Therefore, even if you fulfill all the conditions, this does not guarantee 100% success. But do not despair, but just wait quietly: after a while the plant will begin to revive and assimilate in a new territory.
Remember that this finicky person does not like being carried from place to place. Keep in mind that in its homeland, Benjamin's ficus is a very large tree that has been growing for decades in one place.
Bonsai
Almost all varieties of Benjamin ficus can be used to grow bonsai. But the Viandi variety is most suitable for this purpose. It has a slow growth rate and a wavy curved trunk. The cuttings of this variety are the fastest growing bonsai.
The technology of growing these dwarf trees for Benjamin's ficuses and for other species is practically the same. Bonsai are grown in low, wide containers filled with depleted soil, which promotes a slow growth rate. The roots of the tree are pruned 2-3 times a year, after which it is planted in the same container. Plants are also pruned 2-3 times a year.
In addition to pruning, great importance is attached to the formation of the trunk and branches.
The branches and trunk are wrapped with thick copper wire, and then gradually bend it so that the plant takes on the desired shape. Usually, after such procedures, after 4-5 years, the plant looks like a real tree in miniature.
Propagation of ficus Benjamin by layering
This method is used:
- if the plant is reluctant to give young shoots, but already mature lignified shoots are present in abundance;
- bonsai lovers who want to get a lot of aerial roots from the ficus.
How to root Benjamin's ficus using layering? The method is similar to propagating rubbery ficus using layering.
On a lignified branch or trunk, without affecting the wood, a ring-shaped cut of the bark is made. The naked tissue is treated with a growth stimulant and wrapped in wet sphagnum or a soil mixture based on it. From above, the structure is fixed with a film, firmly fixing its edges with tape, wire or thread.
When the formed roots become visible through the film, they are freed, and the seedling obtained from the shoot is carefully cut off below the root system. In the future, the planting of such a plant is carried out in the traditional way, and the place of the cut on the parent plant is treated with garden pitch or ground coal.
How does Benjamin's ficus still reproduce? Although seed propagation of a crop at home is practically not used due to its laboriousness, it is indispensable when creating new varieties and hybrids. And to obtain a large number of plants of the same type, for example, for landscaping or commercial use, today they resort to cloning. In this case, industrial propagation of Benjamin's ficus is carried out, photo from fragments of leaf tissue.
Ficus Benjamin: basic rules of care
In natural conditions (tropical zones of India, Malaysia, China, the Philippines, Southeast Asia) Benjamin's ficus can reach a height of up to 30 m, in an apartment - up to 5 m, although its recommended height is no more than 3 m. It blooms only in greenhouse conditions (while, like other ficuses, flowers are not very expressive). Indoor plant lovers are attracted by a dense deciduous mass, a large crown with many variegated and glossy green leaves (one has only to remember Benjamin's variegated ficus). Caring for Benjamin's ficus at home is quite simple:
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- temperature - not less than 16 ° С;
- humidity - high, does not tolerate dry air, requires daily (especially in winter) spraying with clean water at room temperature. In winter, it must be moved (at least 2 m) away from the radiator;
Dry air provokes the shedding of leaves, so Benjamin's ficus needs constant spraying with water
Correct and uncomplicated care of Benjamin's ficus will help the plant to delight the eye longer.
The lifespan of Benjamin ficus is from 2 to 15 years and more in a bright room with a temperate climate
lighting - photophilous, with a lack of lighting, it sheds leaves, but at the same time, indirect lighting is more suitable for the plant. In the summer, you can put it on the balcony, but you should gradually get used to the sunlight. Additional lighting is required in winter;
Ficus Benjamina is very fond of a well-lit (especially from above) and well-ventilated room, but at the same time does not tolerate drafts and direct sunlight
Ficus Benjamin in a well-lit part of the living room in a beautiful large flowerpot
watering - moderate, with waterlogging it gets sick and sheds foliage. The main sign of the need for watering is dried soil. Watering period: in winter - 1 time in 7-10 days, in summer - no more than 2 times a week;
The ficus variety Benjamin Naomi is quite unpretentious and grows quickly
From a lack of moisture, the leaves of Benjamin's ficus turn yellow and fall off
how to fertilize Benjamin's ficus: top dressing - during the growth period (spring - early autumn) with liquid fertilizer every 2 weeks;
cleaning - if ordinary spraying does not give the desired result, you must use a special cleaning agent, but not more often than once every two months.
You can feed Benjamin's ficus in March, as soon as young leaves begin to appear, with liquid fertilizer for indoor plants. Stop feeding from November to February
Homemade Ficus Benjamin Kinky
Ficus rubbery - care
Rubber ficus will be an excellent green interior decoration, which even novice flower growers know how to care for. The plant loves diffused sunlight. The best place for him will be the east and west sides of the house, shaded with tulle. The ficus takes out a shadow, but it develops and grows much more slowly. With an excess of shade in the flower, the leaves become smaller, the lower part of the trunk is exposed.
Since this guest came to us from warm countries, he also likes high temperatures - 22-27 degrees in summer and 10-15 degrees in winter. Variegated varieties are more thermophilic than their monochromatic counterparts.
In order for your ficus to please you for many years, it is important to pay attention to the following factors:
- irrigation regime in summer and winter periods;
- timely feeding;
- correct pruning and crown formation;
- regular transplantation into a nutrient medium and into a pot of suitable diameter.
Ficus rubbery - pruning and shaping
The formation of rubber ficus is not particularly difficult, it is only important not to make common mistakes. The first and most common of these is topping off the tops.
With this method, only one of the upper points of growth will awaken, and the flower will again grow upward. To create a lush crown, it is better to resort to one of the effective methods:
- The rubbery ficus can be slightly bent and fixed in this position.In this case, the highest point will go into growth. When the flower reaches the desired size, it is returned to its original position.
- An effective way is to puncture the trunk of the plant by 1/3 of its thickness. Such punctures must be made with a clean sharp object starting from the top and gradually going down.
Ficus can reach impressive sizes, so in early spring it should be pruned to the desired growth. The procedure is carried out with a clean sharp pruner or knife. The cuttings obtained after pruning are wiped with a damp cloth or washed under the tap (the secreted juice irritates the skin), put in any root-forming solution for a week and planted in pots.
How to water rubber ficus?
Watering the rubber plant varies in winter and summer. When the air temperature is above 23-24 degrees, the flower is watered once every two days. In winter, they switch to one watering per week. You can check whether watering is needed by examining the ground, if it is dry by at least two fingers, you can safely water the plant. Excessive moisture will have a destructive effect - the flower will begin to shed its leaves and disappear. In addition to watering, rubber ficus must be regularly sprayed. In winter, you can wipe the leaves with a damp cloth. Large bushes can occasionally bathe in the shower.
How to feed rubber ficus?
Fertilize only healthy and well-rooted ficuses, mainly twice a year - in spring and autumn with a complex mineral fertilizer. If there are signs of a slowdown in the growth and development of a flower, then first they check whether the irrigation and illumination regime is observed, and only then they resort to artificial feeding. The most popular of these is zircon for rubber ficus. This drug is indicated for plants under severe stress, for rooting cuttings and as a prevention of fungal infections. It must be used strictly according to the instructions and no more than once a year.
How to feed
Ficus Benjamin needs feeding from spring to autumn. The frequency of feeding at different times is different. In March – April, it is enough to feed the plant once a month. In June, the ficus grows actively. And you will have to feed him more often - once every 2 weeks. And so on until September. In the autumn months, again reduce the feeding to once a month, and in the winter you do not need to feed - let him rest. The nutritious soil guarantees the successful growth of the plant, the beauty of its trunk and the bright color of the leaves.
Organic and mineral compounds, vegetable compost mixtures act as fertilizers. You can buy a special fertilizer for ficuses or a complex fertilizer for decorative foliage plants in the store. Fertilize according to the instructions attached to them, do not overdo it with doses, even better pour more water than indicated there. Choose a fertilizer with a high nitrogen content, as it has a good effect on the growth of the green mass of the plant. You can also feed Benjamin's ficus with a spray bottle (foliar dressing). To stimulate the growth of new branches, the drug "Epin" is bred, and "Ferrovit" is used when the plant does not have enough iron, and its young leaves acquire a yellowish tint.
We can also recommend to you folk recipes, time-tested: dilute 1 tbsp. l. sugar in 1 liter of warm boiled water. Pour your ficus abundantly with this solution (and a couple of other flowers, if there is an excess solution). Enough two sweet dressings for the summer. Glucose is an excellent source of energy for the life processes of all plants. Ficus is no exception.
Crown formation, ficus pruning
Pruning is a popular method that allows you to shape Benjamin's ficus into the desired shape. Most often, the following types of crown formation are used for these plants:
- Spherical crown shape.
- Bushy.
- In the form of a single - or multi-tiered trunk.
- Bonsai style.
- In the form of various sculptures.
Experts recommend planning ficus pruning in the spring or early summer, since it is at this time of the year that its accelerated growth begins.
When forming the crown, it is necessary to take into account the age of the plant. The easiest way is to give the desired crown shape in young specimens. This, in turn, is a guarantee that as a result of pruning, the plant will acquire the desired shape.
Pruning ficus Benjamin is usually considered in relation to those plants that have a fairly overgrown crown, or specimens that, due to their unusually large size, have lost their former attractiveness.
So that after pruning Benjamin's ficus not to face unpleasant consequences, it is necessary to carry out this operation, taking into account the following rules:
- try to make sure that after the operation the plant does not lose its naturalness;
- before removing branches, try to imagine how the ficus would look like without them;
- it is necessary to remove branches only with a sterile instrument;
- it is necessary to keep the bark intact;
- during pruning of ficus, care must be taken to ensure that the leaves are not damaged;
- ficus branches must be removed at an angle to the upper edge.
How to braid ficus trunks
Crown formation is not the only method that allows the plant to return to its former attractiveness. Another method is table weaving.
To do this, you will have to choose a couple of young specimens with a similar thickness and height of the tables, which are subsequently transplanted into a common pot.
Since in such plants the trunks become semi-lignified and at the same time retain their flexibility, they can be easily woven. Where the side shoots will connect, it is imperative to cut off all the leaves.
When creating the spiral and pigtails, you need to leave a lot of space, counting on the subsequent thickening of the trunks. A favorable time for the beginning of the plexus of the trunks occurs when the lower part of the flower grows to 13 cm.
Ficus Benjamin is one of the brightest representatives of the ficus family, which has retained all the best qualities of this indoor plant.
Growing it at home is a fairly simple exercise, however, and there are some points regarding care.
First of all, you need to pay attention to the fact that the plant must be periodically transplanted into a new container.
If it is important for the owner to maintain the decorative properties of Benjamin's ficus, then he will have to regularly prune the branches